Queen Victoria statue restoration ongoing after Eastern Park attack

The repair bill for the Queen Victoria statue that was targeted by activists in Geelong last year is expected to reach $60,000, with no timeline set for its return to Eastern Park.

It remains unclear when then statue of Queen Victoria that was torn down by activists in Geelong’s Eastern Park last year ago will stand again as delicate restoration work takes place in Melbourne.

The total repair bill is expected to reach as high as $60,000, most of which will be covered by insurance.

Geelong council committed to oversee the statue’s restoration after vandals twice attacked the monument in March last year.

The first attack on March 1 saw the words “The colony will fall” spray painted on the statue’s plinth.

Less than a fortnight later, the statue was felled and its base defaced again, this time with: “The colony can fall”.

The Queen Victoria statue is being restored in Melbourne. Picture: Alison Wynd.

The statue suffered significant damage and currently finds itself at a specialist foundry in Melbourne, where work is ongoing to bring the bronze structure back to its former glory, although no timeline has been set for its return to Geelong.

A police spokeswoman confirmed no charges have been laid over the attacks.

Upon its return, Mayor Stretch Kontelj said security around the statue would be improved through the addition of lighting and CCTV.

“Repair of a statue of this size takes time and expert skills,” he said.

“The city is in the process of undertaking an engineering assessment on the plinth to ensure structural integrity and assess if any extra work needs to be done to secure the statue in the future.

“While there is no timeline for the statue’s return, we are working to have it back in place as soon as possible.”

Queen Victoria ascended to the throne in 1837 at just 18 years of age and served as head of the British monarch until her death in 1901, after which her birthday of May 24 was renamed Empire Day.

Her statue had stood in Eastern Park since 1912.

The damaged Queen Victoria bronze statue was taken away by crane. Picture: Alison Wynd.

A video of the March 14 attack, posted the same day on the Instagram page of Civil Resistance Youth Movement, showed a car winch being used to topple the statue.

The accompanying caption said: “The legacy of the genocidal colonial figures will be remembered as one of shame”.

“Every day, more of the country is waking up to the reality that this colony can, must, and will fall, as so many have before,” it concluded.

Among those to condemn the attack was Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, who said all aspects of Australia’s history must be respected.

Photos and videos of similar attacks have been posted to the same Instagram page, including footage of a Captain Cook statue being cut from its stone base with an angle grinder in St Kilda on Australia Day eve last year.

The Queen Victoria monument on St Kilda Rd was sprayed with red paint on the same night.

Originally published as Queen Victoria statue restoration ongoing after Eastern Park attack